Tag: gods and goddesses

Large Scarab at the British Museum

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date December 3, 2022
1 Comment on Large Scarab at the British Museum

This is definitely the largest scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 that I have ever seen! I was shocked when I saw just how big it was in the British Museum! I have honestly never seen anything like it in any of the other museums I have visited!

This scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 represented Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓀭 the god 𓊹 that was associated with the “rising of the sun 𓅃𓈌𓏏𓏭𓀭” (these hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to “sun at dawn”) and thus he is associated with life 𓋹𓈖𓐍 and rebirth. Scarabs 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣𓏪 were extremely popular as amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪, and were considered to have the strongest 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 powers.

The “scarab beetle 𓆣” hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 symbol is a determinative, ideogram and phonogram symbol! It is associated with the sound ḫpr (like “Kheper”) is also used to write the words “evolve,” “manifestation,” and “become.”

From a geologic perspective, this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is made of the rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 diorite. Diorite is an intrusive igneous rock (meaning it forms underground from the solidification of magma). Diorite is an extremely durable rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙 (one of the strongest found on Earth 𓇾𓇾), and is comparable to granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿 in terms of strength and method of formation.

However, diorite usually doesn’t contain a lot quartz 𓏠𓈖𓏌𓈙, a very strong 𓄇𓏏𓂝𓏭 mineral which is abundant in granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, hence the difference between the two 𓏻 rocks 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙𓏦. One of the reasons why this scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣 is so well preserved, is probably due to the strength of the diorite! Diorite, like granite 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓈖𓌳𓍿, was usually mined by the Egyptians in Aswan 𓋴𓃹𓈖𓏌𓏲𓌕𓊖

As you all know, ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 is one of my biggest passions, however I actually have degrees in Earth and Environmental science! I love combining my passions for Egyptian history and geology together 𓈖𓊗!

Tags artifact, british museum, geology, gods and goddesses, khepri, scarab

Reading Hieroglyphs

Offering Table Dedicated to the God Seth

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 29, 2022

This piece is a large offering table 𓂝𓃀𓅡𓄿𓋃 that was dedicated to the god 𓊹 Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 by the 19th Dynasty pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠.

There is a lot going on with this piece! On the reliefs, Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 can be seen worshipping thegod Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, whose likeness has been erased. During the Ramesside time period, many pharaohs had “Seth” as part of their name 𓂋𓈖 because Seth’s 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 status was elevated at the time due to him being both a powerful aggressor and being associated with foreign lands. Once Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣 fell out of favor, his name 𓂋𓈖/images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 were no longer used. Seth’s image is even removed, except for when he is mentioned in Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 name 𓂋𓈖! The image of the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 has not been erased, because even though she is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣, she was considered a favorable figure in Egyptian mythology.

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I’s Horus Name: 𓅃𓃒𓂡𓅓𓈍𓋆𓋴𓋹𓈖𓐍𓈙𓈙 “The Strong bull who appeared in Thebes and sustains the Two Lands.”

In the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 above, we see Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 to the goddess 𓊹𓏏Nephthys 𓎟𓏏𓉗𓏏𓉐𓁐 (her name 𓂋𓈖 is written above her), who is the consort of Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. We can also see Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 titles and cartouches:

𓆥 – King of Upper and Lower Egypt

𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands

(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name)

(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name)

𓏙 – Given

𓆖 – Eternity

In the next picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) we see the cartouches again, and Seti worshipping Seth. The hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 translate to:

𓏙 – Given

𓋹 – Life

𓆑 – His

𓊽 – Stability

𓌀 – Strength

So all together, the inscription reads: “𓏙𓋹𓆑𓊽𓌀 Given Life, His Stability and Strength.”

The last picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 (above) is another variant of the Horus name!

I always find pieces such as these so fascinating, because upon first look, it looks like just a large slab of rock 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓈙. But in reality, there is so much to analyze and unpack when it comes to the images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 and the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪, and how they relate to the time period, and even the time periods that came long after this piece was made. While it was made during the 19th Dynasty (reign of Seti I 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁣𓇌𓌸𓈖), it was definitely altered afterwards.

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, nephthys, seth, seti i, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

Relief of Seti I and Hathor

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 28, 2022
3 Comments on Relief of Seti I and Hathor

This is such a beautiful 𓄤 relief and it is actually from the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠! The tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 is the largest in the Valley of the Kings and it is also my Nonno’s favorite of all the tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪! This relief is now located at the Louvre in France.

The relief shows Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and the goddess 𓊹𓏏 Hathor 𓉡. Hathor 𓉡 was known as the Lady of the West 𓎟𓏏𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 (the underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐). The West 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 and the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 were equated by the ancient Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 because the sun 𓇳𓏺 set in the west 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊! This is why all of the Egyptian tombs 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐𓏪 are located on the western 𓋀𓏏𓏏𓈊 side of the Nile!

Here, Hathor 𓉡 is seen welcoming Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 into her domain, while offering him a menat necklace 𓏠𓈖𓇋𓏏𓋧, which was a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜. They are even holding hands 𓂧𓏏𓏺!

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

𓉡 – Hathor
𓁶𓁷𓏏𓏏𓊖𓋆 – Chief one of Thebes
𓎟𓇿𓇿 – Lord of the Two Lands
(𓇳𓁦𓏠) – Menmaatra (throne name – “Eternal is the Truth of Ra”)
𓎟𓈍𓏥 – Lord of Appearances
(𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁵𓇌𓈘𓈖) – Seti, Beloved of Ptah (birth name – this is an uncommon variant that uses the Osiris 𓁵 symbol instead of the Seth 𓁣 symbol)
𓏙𓋹𓇳𓏇𓏺𓆖 – Given Eternal Life, Like Ra

Tags gods and goddesses, hathor, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, louvre, seti i

Reading Hieroglyphs

Recumbent Jackal on Shrine Hieroglyph

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 23, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳, we are going to look at my favorite hieroglyphic symbol: Anubis 𓃣! So out of all 700+ symbols, this symbol of Anubis on a shrine 𓃣 has always been (and will always be) my absolute favorite!

There are three 𓏼 variants of this symbols: 𓃢, 𓃣, and 𓃤. The variants just mean that all three symbols could be used in the same way to represent the same thing!

The official name of this symbol given by Egyptologists is “recumbent jackal on shrine 𓃣” and it is used as both an ideogram and a determinative. 𓃣 is the determinative in the word “Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣” and also an ideogram for “Anubis 𓃣.”

When 𓃣 functions as an ideogram, the “𓃣” would be pronounced the same as “𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣.” The proper way to say Anubis in Middle Egyptian is “jnpw” (pronounced like “Inpu”).
𓇋 – j (i)
𓈖 – n
𓊪 – p
𓅱 – w (u)
𓃣 – Determinative – not pronounced!

The name 𓂋𓈖 “Anubis” is actually the Greek version of his name, not the Middle Egyptian name 𓂋𓈖, so that is why the hieroglyphs don’t match up with how we are so used to saying Anubis/Inpu’s name 𓂋𓈖!

Since this is my absolute favorite symbol, when I was a kid, I was so mad that I could not use this symbol as part of my name 𓂋𓈖 (my name written out is 𓈖𓇋𓎡𓍯𓃭𓀭).

Tags anubis, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Harpokrates

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 19, 2022

While a lot of the same themes and ideas persisted through the Egyptian religion for thousands of years, changes and evolution did occur from time to time! One of the ways those changes showed up were in the evolution of gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 and goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏. In both classical Egyptian and Graeco-Roman times, Horus 𓅃𓀭, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 and Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 were very popular deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹, however, their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 and roles did evolve. For example, Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 was replaced/referred to as Serapis 𓁹𓊨𓀭𓎛𓐑𓊪𓃒 by the Ptolemies. Today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳 we are going to look at one of the ways that Horus evolved 𓅃𓀭!

In this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏, Horus 𓅃𓀭 is represented in his Greek form Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 (or Harpocrates), with his trademarked “finger to lips” pose. This pose represents the “be quiet” gesture because to the Greeks, Harpokrates was the god 𓊹 of silence. In the Hellenistic world, Harpokrates could also be the god 𓊹 of secrets, confidentiality, and even the embodiment of hope!

The name 𓂋𓈖 Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 is actually a Greek adaptation of the Egyptian “Heru-pa-khered” or “Heru-pa-khart” which translates to “Horus the Child” or “Horus the Younger.” This name 𓂋𓈖 makes sense when you look at the statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪, because Horus 𓅃𓀭/Harpokrates is represented as a child! Also, the determinative hieroglyph (last symbol in the phrase) for the word child “𓐍𓇌𓀔/𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔” shows a seated boy with his hand to his mouth, which is where the idea for the representation of Harpokrates 𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 is thought to have originated from!

Here is a breakdown of Harpokrates’ name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪:
𓅃𓀭𓅮𓄿𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 – Harpokrates

𓅃𓀭 -Heru
𓅮𓄿 – pa
𓄡𓂋𓂧𓀔𓀭 – khered/khart

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Pharaoh Horemheb with the God Amun

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 11, 2022

My Nonno took this picture!! This is a statue of the Pharaoh Horemheb 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌺𓄿𓋔𓐝𓎱 with the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖. Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 is pictured as larger than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 were always depicted bigger to symbolize the fact that they were more important than the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. The only being a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 ever bowed to was a god, since the pharaohs themselves were gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹 on Earth.

Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 was the King of the Gods (kind of like Zeus). As early as the 11th Dynasty, Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 was the patron god 𓊹 of Thebes. At the start of the 18th Dynasty, the god 𓊹 Amun 𓇋𓏠𓈖 gained great national importance in the pantheon and this is illustrated with Amun’s fusion with the sun god Ra (Amun-Ra 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳).

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

On the left side of the statue, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 read: 𓄤𓊹 𓎟𓇿𓇿(𓇳𓂦𓆣𓏼𓇳𓍉𓈖)𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 𓌻𓇌𓏙𓋹 – this translates to: “The great god, lord of the two lands, Djeser Kheperu Re, beloved of Amun-Ra, given life.”

While on the right side, the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 read: 𓅭𓇳 𓎟𓈍𓏥(𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌺𓄿𓋔𓐝𓎱) 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓏺𓇳 𓌻𓇌𓏙𓋹 -this translates to: “Son of Ra, lord of appearances, Horemheb, beloved of Amun-Ra, given life.”

Tags amun, artifact, gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, horemheb

Egyptian Artifacts

Bronze Statue of Maat

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 11, 2022

Not only was Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 the goddess 𓊹𓏏 of truth, fact, law, order and justice, “maat” was also a concept and a way of life in ancient Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖. The noun “maat” is translated as “truth” so living by maat, meant living a pure and truthful life. Maat was also the balance and order in the whole universe.

Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 is usually shown as a woman with a feather on her head. Her most important role was in the judgement of the dead 𓅓𓏏𓏱. The god Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓁢 would weigh the heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 of the deceased against Maat’s 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 feather 𓆄 to see if they were worthy to enter the Underworld 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and meet Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭. If the deceased’s heart 𓇋𓃀𓄣 was balanced with the feather 𓆄, they were declared “true of voice” 𓐙𓊤, and could meet Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭.

This statue is at the Petrie Museum at UCL in London!

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, maat, petrie museum

Egyptian Artifacts

Faience Statue of Isis Feeding Horus

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 11, 2022

The statue of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Late Period through the Ptolemaic Period. Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 (The Divine Mother), and was often associated with motherhood 𓅐𓏏𓁐, the protection of women, and a user of magic. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 holding a child is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby. The amulet 𓊐𓊪𓅆 and statue was very popular in Roman households, most likely as a symbol of motherhood and family. My Nonno always made sure to point these statues out to us, as he felt they were really important due to the likely influence on Catholic symbolism.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, the met

Egyptian Artifacts

Isis Feeding Horus as a Baby

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022
1 Comment on Isis Feeding Horus as a Baby

The image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby is one of the most popular images 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 of the Third Intermediate Period, Late Period and even through the Ptolemaic and Roman Periods.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 appeared in bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦, stone 𓇋𓈖𓂋𓊪, and even as small 𓈖𓆓𓋴𓅩 amulets 𓊐𓊪𓅆𓏪! My Nonno would always point out these pieces of Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby because he felt they were so significant to the evolution of religious art through time.

While my Nonno loved Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 and Roman art, he also loved Christian/Biblical art, so these Egyptian 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐 statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 were kind of a natural connection between his area of interests! I always make sure to look for statues 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾𓏪 like this in museums whenever I visit!

Symbolically, Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was thought to be the mother𓅐𓏏𓁐 of the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, and was often associated with motherhood, the protection of women 𓊃𓏏𓂑𓏏𓁐, and a user of magic 𓎛𓂓𓄿𓏜. As Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 became a more popular religious figure, she was associated with cosmological order and was considered to be the embodiment of fate by the Romans. Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 was widely worshipped during the Roman times, and Isis 𓊨𓏏𓁥 feeding Horus 𓅃𓀭 as a baby has even appeared on the back of Roman coins.

This image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 of a mother 𓅐𓏏𓁐 holding a child 𓐍𓇌𓀕 is thought to have inspired the well known Catholic images of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus as a baby.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, horus, isis, the met

Reading Hieroglyphs

The Four Sons of Horus in Hieroglyphs

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date November 5, 2022

Let’s read some hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪!

This sunken relief and inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖 is from the sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 of a man named Harkhebit who lived during Dynasty 26 (c. 595-526 B.C.E.). This sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is one of the better examples of Late Period ancient Egyptian stonework and is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC.

One of the best things about Egyptian art is that sometimes the hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 act as “captions” and tell you exactly which deity 𓊹 you are looking at! The name 𓂋𓈖 of the deity 𓊹 usually appears above their head in an inscription 𓎘𓅱𓎖!

Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 and Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿.

On the left, we can see Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 who is one of the Four Sons of Horus that was tasked with protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. ! Duamutef can also be spelled like 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑, and it would be pronounced the same! A lot of the names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 of gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, goddesses 𓊹𓊹𓊹𓏏, and even pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦 had variants. A variant is just an alternate spelling of a word! A determinative could also appear at the end of the name 𓂋𓈖, which would make them appear as 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑𓀭 and 𓇼𓂟𓏏𓆑𓀭.

On the right, we can see Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿 who is also one of the Four Sons of Horus who was tasked with protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸! Imseti 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿 can also be spelled like 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋, and that variation is the one you will see most often so it was very cool to see this particular spelling! A determinative could also appear at the end of the name𓂋𓈖 , which would make them appear as 𓇋𓅓𓊃𓍿𓀭 and 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋𓀭.

Hapy 𓐑𓊪𓇌 and Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑

On the left, we can see Hapy 𓐑𓊪𓇌, who is one of the Four Sons of Horus. Hapy 𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺. Hapy’s name 𓂋𓈖can also be spelled like in “𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌” hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. The spelling seen on this sarcophagus (𓐑𓊪𓇌)is a less common variant! Even in English, Hapy 𓐑𓊪𓇌 can also be spelled like “Hapi!”

On the right, we can see Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 who is another one of the Four Sons of Horus. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. The way that Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 is spelled on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭 is the most common way I have seen the name 𓂋𓈖 spelled!

A determinative could also appear at the end of the name𓂋𓈖 , which would make them appear as 𓐑𓊪𓇌𓀭 and 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑𓀭.

Much like Osiris 𓁹𓊨𓀭 and Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 were popular deities 𓊹𓊹𓊹 to see on funerary equipment 𓈎𓂋𓋴𓏏𓏏𓊭, the Sons of Horus were as well because they were tasked with protecting 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱. That is certainly an important job! Anubis 𓇋𓈖𓊪𓅱𓃣 does appear on this sarcophagus 𓎟𓋹𓈖𓐍𓊭, he’s just in a different spot!

Tags gods and goddesses, hieroglyph lessons, hieroglyphs, sons of horus

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